Sospel (;

Mentonasc Mentonasc (; Mentonasco in Italian, Mentonnais or Mentonasque in French) is a Romance dialect historically spoken in and around Menton, France. It is classified as a dialect of Occitan and a sub-dialect of Vivaro-Alpine, with some strong inf ...

: Sospèl, Italian Sospello) is a commune (municipality) and former schismatic episcopal seat (1381-1418) in the

Alpes-Maritimes Alpes-Maritimes (; oc, Aups Maritims; it, Alpi Marittime, "Maritime Alps") is a department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the Italian border and Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, it ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in southeastern France near the Italian border and not far from Monte Carlo.

History and remains

The town dates back to the 5th century, when it served as an important staging post on the royal road from Nice to Turin. Its main monument is the former cathedral. * The old toll bridge used by travellers to cross the Bévéra, built in the 13th century, still stands. It was bombed by the Germans during World War II to prevent contact between the French Resistance ("The Maquis") and the Italians. Much of the town was destroyed. Renovated after World War II it now houses the tourist office. * The ruins of a tower, part of a château (residential castle) belonging to the counts of Provence, are all that remain of the 14th century

city walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

Ecclesiastical history

During the Western Schism, the

Diocese of Ventimiglia The Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo ( la, Dioecesis Ventimiliensis-Sancti Romuli) is a Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Liguria, northern Italy. The name of the historic Diocese of Ventimiglia (''dioecesis Albintimiliensis'', and ''Intimiliens ...

(Vintimille in French) was split : the canonical bishop, still residing in Ventimiglia, obedient to the Pope in Rome, controlled the territories dependent of the Italian dogal Republic of Genoa, but an uncanonical line of rival anti-bishops (1381-1418), obedient to the

Antipope of Avignon An antipope ( la, antipapa) is a person who makes a significant and substantial attempt to occupy the position of Bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church in opposition to the legitimately elected pope. At times between the 3rd and mid- ...

, established their schismatical see 'of Ventimiglia' in Sospel(lo), with sway over the diocese's 'French' territories dependent on the County of Savoy and the lordship of Tende. ;''Suffragan anti-bishops of (Ventimiglia at) Sospel(lo) * Bertrando Imberti, Friars Minor (O.F.M. (2 December 1381 – death 1386) * Pietro Marinaco, O.F.M. (27 August 1392 – 4 September 1409), next Bishop of

Famagosta Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under ...

(on Cyprus, now a titular see as Famagusta) * Bartolomeo de Giudici (22 June 1408 – deposed 1412 - death 1418) After Ventimiglia's diocesan authority was restored in 1412 as the jurisdiction now known as the

Diocese of Ventimiglia-San Remo The Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo ( la, Dioecesis Ventimiliensis-Sancti Romuli) is a Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Liguria, northern Italy. The name of the historic Diocese of Ventimiglia (''dioecesis Albintimiliensis'', and ''Intimiliens ...

, Sospel was assigned to what is now the

Diocese of Nice The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nice (Latin: ''Dioecesis Nicensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Nice'') is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese comprises the Départment of Alpes-Maritimes. The diocese is ...

, France, and its former cathedral was demoted to simple church.

Population

Climate

Under the Köppen system, Sospel features an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

(Cfb) with warm-summer mediterranean climate (Csb) influences. Influenced by its low altitude, Sospel experiences light frosts in winter and cool nights during the summer.

Sospel in fiction

* The town of Sospel is mentioned in Daphne du Maurier's novel ''

Rebecca Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...

'', when Max de Winter declines an invitation from annoying social climber Mrs. Van Hopper on the excuse that he is driving to Sospel that day. * In 1909 it was described in Gaston Leroux's novel, The Perfume of the Lady in Black (p. 151), as : "a picturesque little city lost between the last counterforces of the Alps, two hours and half from Mentone by coach... It is one of the most retired and quietest corners of France, the most dreaded by revenue officers and by the Alpine hunters. But the road which leads to it is one of the most beautiful in the world." * Sospel is a setting in the 1977 mystery novel ''All Roads to Sospel'' by

George Bellairs George Bellairs was the ''nom de plume'' of Harold Blundell (1902–1982), a crime writer and bank manager born in Heywood, near Rochdale, Lancashire. He began working for Martins Bank at the age of 15, and stayed there in escalating roles of s ...

References

Sources and external links

GCatholic - former (anti-)bishopric

Communes of Alpes-Maritimes French Riviera Monte Carlo Rally Alpes-Maritimes communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia {{AlpesMaritimes-geo-stub